EU signs sustainable fishing agreement with Gambia

Last
Friday, the EU and the Republic of The Gambia signed a new Sustainable Fishing
Partnership Agreement (SFPA) protocol, 22 years after the previous protocol
expired. Both parties welcome the start of a new cooperation period in the
fisheries sector.

This
fisheries agreement allows EU vessels to fish in the Gambian waters and thus,
extends the network of tuna fisheries agreements in West Africa.

The
new protocol covers a period of 6 years and will offer EU vessels the
possibility to fish 3300 tons of tuna and tuna-like species as well as 750 tons
of hake per year in the Gambian waters. In return, the EU will pay The Republic
of The Gambia a financial contribution of 550 000 € per year. Half of this
yearly contribution will be used to strengthen the sustainable management of
fisheries resources and the development of the Gambian fishing sector. The
agreement covers the cooperation in the fight against illegal, unreported and
unregulated fishing (IUU) and the
promotion of the blue economy, including aquaculture. A special support will be
given to the artisanal fisheries sector. Furthermore, Gambia has committed to
become a member of the International Commission for the Conservation of
Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT).

The
new protocol will enter into force when the necessary legislative procedures
for its conclusion have been completed.